Tencent website lists 25k deaths, 1.54 lakh infections from coronavirus
China denounces reports of higher fatalities as coronavirus death toll rises to 564
Beijing, Feb 6: China on Thursday denounced as "rumours and lies" the reports of a much higher death toll and infected cases in the coronavirus outbreak that it said has killed 564 people as the authorities finished work on a second hospital to treat thousands of patients suffering from the disease.
Overall 564 people have died in China due to the virus on Wednesday and 28,018 confirmed cases have been reported from 31 provincial-level regions, the National Health Commission reported on Thursday.
On Wednesday, 73 people died - the highest casualty in a single day - due to the virus and the new confirmed cases of the epidemic went up by 3,694, it added.
Chinese officials said 19 foreign nationals living in the country have been confirmed of contracting the novel coronavirus as of Thursday, but did not disclose their nationalities.
China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with countries whose airlines have cancelled flights to Chinese cities alleging that they are spreading panic in the wake of deadly coronavirus.
Seventy of the deaths reported on Wednesday were from Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus outbreak, where China is building a large number of hospitals at frantic pace including converting stadiums, auditoriums and schools into hospitals to cope up with the cases.
China on Thursday opened a new 1,500-bed makeshift hospital especially built for virus patients days after a 1,000-bed hospital started functioning with prefabricated wards and isolation rooms in Wuhan.
Chinese officials argue that the death toll and confirmed cases are rising in Hubei province because of lack of enough hospitals and beds.
State-run China Global Television Network, or CGTN, showed new tent hospitals coming up in the city to treat patients besides a host of mobile clinics.
Meanwhile, China vehemently denied a Taiwan media report that Beijing is under-reporting the death toll and infected cases from the virus outbreak.
Tencent, which runs popular social media APP WeChat, over the weekend seems to have "inadvertently released what is potentially the actual number of infections and deaths, which were astronomically higher than the official figures," Taiwan News reported.
"On late Saturday evening, the Tencent webpage showed confirmed cases of the Wuhan virus in China as standing at 154,023, ten times the official figure at the time...Most ominously, the death toll listed was 24,589, vastly higher than the 300 officially listed that day," the report claimed.
When asked to comment on the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing online on Thursday that "we have noted some rumours and lies on this epidemic, which are worse than the virus itself".
"You may have noted that even WHO Director-General has repeatedly called on people to not believe in rumours or spreading them. In some countries, relevant departments have been stepping up efforts to bring to justice to those creating and spreading rumours," she said.
China is acting with openness, transparency and a high sense of responsibility, Hua said, adding that the government has been sharing information in a timely manner, enhancing international cooperation.
"The National Health Commission and the Wuhan health authorities hold daily briefings to keep the public updated. China's openness, transparency and high sense of responsibility, and its decisive and effective measures have been recognised by the international community," she said.
"As some countries have taken such excessive steps as suspending flights, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) has also issued bulletins and encouraged all countries to follow WHO recommendations," she said.
"We deplore and oppose those countries who went against WHO's professional recommendations and ICAO's bulletins and have lodged stern representations with them," she said.
Several international airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, have cancelled flights to China over fears of the virus spreading across the world, a move which Beijing described against the WHO guidelines.
Several countries including India and the US have also announced travel bans.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has taken effective measures to minimise the possibility of virus spreading in airplanes and to ensure travellers' safety and health on international flights, she said.
"We hope all countries can assess the epidemic situation and China's efforts in a calm, objective and rational manner and do not overreact," she said and urged countries not to restrict the flights.
China also sent an advisory to Beijing-based foreign correspondents asking them to take precautions against the virus and urged them not to travel, specially Hubei province and advised 14-day quarantine if they visited Wuhan.
"Proper self-protection is essential, and avoidance of travelling to Hubei province during this period is earnestly advised," the advisory said.
Hua said China attaches high importance to addressing the concerns and demands of foreign nationals in China, especially those in Wuhan.
"We have strengthened the protection and assistance for foreign citizens. Many foreign nationals in China highly appreciate China's relevant measures. China will continue caring for foreign nationals in our country as our own and guarantee their working and living conditions," she said.
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25 lakh properties in Bengaluru brought under e-Khata system: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has brought over 25 lakh properties under the e-Khata system in Bengaluru.
e-Khata is an electronic property certificate that maintains ownership information in an online database.
The e-Khata initiative aimed to ensure accuracy, transparency and universal coverage for property owners, he said.
Addressing a press conference here, Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru in-charge Minister, said over 25 lakh properties are being brought under the e-Khata system. Of them more than 7,000 applications have been processed, and additional outreach measures being planned for those yet to obtain their e-Khata.
"Twenty five lakh e-Khatas is a great number which has created history," he said.
The Deputy CM said the government is ensuring that every e-Khata will have its GPS, the shape of the property, and the measurement with every photo and document.
He explained that the government is integrating Aadhaar details, digital documentation, GPS mapping and property sketches to create a robust database.
"We want to see that every record is filled right. They (officials) are asking for documentation, stamp, digital documents. We wanted to connect every Aadhaar card and have it online," Shivakumar said.
To facilitate access, the Deputy CM announced the opening of more than 50 centres across Bengaluru, many of them in government schools, where citizens can apply for or rectify their e-Khata records.
"All of them will be working this Saturday. This 'Khata Mela' will be done. It is 'Nanna Khata, Nanna Swathu'," he said.
Applicants whose documents require verification will be given an acknowledgement and asked to return after 15 days, during which officials will conduct site inspections, he said.
Shivakumar said the government has also taken steps to identify and reclaim properties recorded as roads in revenue documents, asserting that such lands belong to the government.
"We have decided through the law that all the roads in the revenue records have been taken out. Those properties belong to the government itself," he said.
He noted that the initiative has received recognition from the Union government. "The Government of India has awarded us. It said that it is the model for the entire country," he said, while thanking officials involved in the project.
The Deputy CM said the government expects around 10 lakh additional households to benefit from the drive and assured that even those who have not downloaded their documents will receive printed copies free of cost at their residences.
"We will see that all the 25 lakh people will get their e-Khata to their home free of cost," Shivakumar said.
On apartment properties, he said all flats that have obtained occupancy certificates have been cleared.
"All the 37,460 flats (who have applied for e-Khata) have been issued an occupancy certificate. We have cleared all of them," the Deputy CM said.
